Is teacher leadership becoming normal?

Do teacher leaders feel like “odd ducks” when navigating their hybrid roles in and outside of the classroom? Or does teacher leadership feel natural and accepted in our schools today? Follow this teacher’s reflection on how she feels in a teacher leader role.

Would you say teacher leaders might feel like odd ducks in your teaching context? In both my current and former school, I would say not so likely. I often feel like an odd duck in terms of my teaching style, which tends to be more constructivist than that of my colleagues. But I see teacher leaders in school-based roles becoming more and more commonplace.

What does not seem commonplace—and what often makes me feel like an odd duck—is the idea of a teacher taking on leadership within the field of education, but outside the school context. Teachers’ involvement in education policy and politics is still odd from where I stand. Having been the rare teacher at a few policy events, I know that we are sometimes the odd ducks in both worlds. Still, I’m convinced that teacher leadership at all levels is becoming more accepted and understood. What do you think?

Ariel Sacks began her 13-year teaching career in New York City public schools after earning her master’s degree at Bank Street College and has taught and coached in grades 7-9. She is the author of Whole Novels for the Whole Class: A Student Centered Approach (Jossey-Bass, 2014) and writes a teaching column for Education Week Teacher.
Ariel’s work as a teacher leader with the Center for Teaching Quality involved her in co-authoring Teaching 2030: What We Must Do For Our Public Schools – Now and in the Future. She was also featured in the CTQ book Teacherpreneurs: Innovative Teachers Who Lead Without Leaving.
She is currently working on a book about the role of creative writing in equitable, 21st century schools, and she speaks and leads workshops on the whole novels approach.

The idea of a teacher taking on leadership within the field of education, but outside the school context, is an innovative idea that I think I would jump on. I am fascinated by technological advancement. The district that I live in, is faced with a rapid move towards advancement. It is interesting to note the views that teachers take on moving forward. I feel that if the teachers are not interested in forming VLCs or PLCs in their schools then the willing teacher leaders can turn to Video learning communities to learn, communicate, collaborate and teach one another even if it is coming from someone halfway around the world. In our professional field of education we work with lots of teachers that don’t all share the same feelings about change. For some teachers change is acceptable for the experienced few, change is devistating. The main focus for all teachers though should be student success. We must make it our responsibility to accept change and do it willingly for the sake of our students. We all know that students do not want to be bored with the old ways of teaching. We should grow and develop right along with our students. So, there is no time for feeling like the odd duck in the teacher context. We must band together and be willing to make a difference in a child’s life.